The NW Herald today stated its support for Rep. McSweeney's call for the State Auditor General to investigate a $10 million dollar grant given to a company for land acquisition in Chicago by the Quinn Administration. The check, which was written just a month before Quinn left office, has been cashed, but no land has been purchased and is unlikely to be anytime soon. Read it on the NW Herald here

Representative McSweeney has sent a letter to the State Auditor General, William Holland, requesting an investigation into a 10 million dollar grant given to a Chicago based TV and film studio by the Quinn Administration. The grant was awarded after Quinn lost in November and a number of questions are being asked in the wake of the discovery that, though the check for the grant was cashed, the money has not been used for its stated purpose and is unlikely to be used as such in the future.Read more on the story at the Sun Times

The Daily Herald today praised Rep. McSweeney's efforts to increase government transparency by getting HB175, amending the Open Meetings Act, passed through the House. Calling for more government officials to practice what they preach and do more to increase government transparency, they urged the strengthening of the Freedom of Information Act. Read the editorial here

"Thumbs up: To House Bill 175 passing unanimously in the state House and moving to the Senate. State Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, and state Sen. Dan Duffy, R-Lake Barrington, are spearheading the legislation, which closes a loophole in the Illinois Open Meetings Act and will allow people to report a possible violation of the act within 60 days of its discovery, rather than 60 days from the date of the meeting."To read more of this weeks editorial, click here

A number of bills are on the legislative agenda in the House this session intending to tamper down Illinois' rising property taxes. The NW Herald takes a look at these bills, including HB 177 and HB 178 filed by Rep McSweeney

Proposed just before the House filing deadline on Friday, House Bill 4106 would give voters the ability to put the question of whether to issue any Tax Increment Financing(TIF)-related bonds, which are issued on the faith and credit of their municipality, on the ballot. The bill addresses concerns that residents have about being liable in the event projects spurred on by these bonds fall through. For more information on the bill, click here to read about it on the NW Herald